Penn bench is beginning to mature

Laster, Brown and Ryan give Quakers depth When the Penn men's basketball team started the season, there were two proven players -- swingman Ira Bowman and center Tim Krug -- and a lot of question marks. "There were a lot of doubts," Krug said at the beginning of the year. "Players doubted themselves. People doubted us. They said we were lacking experience. A lot of people have stepped up and proven they can play. That's probably one of the biggest positives." Fifteen games and numerous player departures later, some of those Quakers question marks have become exclamation points. Penn (9-6) now has a solid starting five that includes Bowman, Krug, a freshman and two former benchwarmers. Forward Paul Romanczuk and guards Garett Kreitz and Donald Moxley will help lead the new-look Quakers against Lehigh (3-16) tonight at 7 p.m. at the Palestra. "It's been an experience," Bowman said. "Any time you're in a situation where a bunch of different players are thrown together, and you can go out and be competitive, it says a lot about the type of individuals you have on your team." The success of the Penn bench has come as a surprise to some opposing coaches. Following the Quakers' 77-63 victory over the Big Red, Cornell coach Al Walker said he never expected reserve forwards Frankie Brown and Cedric Laster to contribute 14 points between them. In fact, he didn't think Penn even had a true bench. "We specifically told our kids there's nobody else who's going to hurt us," Walker said. "They really stepped up big." The secret of the Penn reserves is out. While they are happy to have the chance to show their skills, some members of the Quakers backup unit prefer relative obscurity to the spotlight. "I'd rather be a surprise instead of having people scouting me and preparing for me," Laster said. "I'd rather not be expected to produce." Brown and forward Jed Ryan may have a bright future, despite their humble collegiate beginnings. As Laster noted, "This team that's playing now is the Penn bench of last year." Bowman and Krug spent most of last season waiting for their chances to play. Bowman, second-team all-Ivy last season, competed with Scott Kegler and Shawn Trice for minutes, while Krug spent three seasons filling in for Eric Moore and Andy Baratta. They took advantage of their opportunities, and this season, they are reaping the rewards of their patience. "They form a great nucleus," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said of his starting five. "They have confidence in their teammates. They talk to them. They say, 'OK, your turn's coming up,' and you step up and you respond." And the supposedly harmless reserves have made the most of their limited opportunities. Laster, who has played in only nine of the Quakers' 15 contests thus far, proved himself this weekend with a gritty defensive performance against Cornell's top scoring threat, Eddie Samuel. Brown, who averages nearly 16 minutes per game spelling Bowman, Kreitz and Moxley, has become a threat from the perimeter. Though Brown and Ryan "make inexperienced mistakes on occasion," according to Dunphy, they have been doing their part when called on. "We need them to play and play well," Dunphy said. "These guys are a very hard-working, conscientious, concerned group who want to do whatever they can to help the team. When their time comes, they're going to be ready. Whoever is playing the best is going to get the most minutes." Brown, Laster and Ryan should all see time tonight. Multiple Quakers will be needed to defend Lehigh's leading scorer, Rashawne Glenn. In addition to a quick crossover move, Glenn will give Penn defenders a different look with his left-handed shot. Penn will also be aware of Glenn's backcourt mate, Brett Eppehimer, Lehigh's biggest three-point threat. "If you help too much off of [Glenn], Eppehimer may get some open looks at the basket that we want to try to avoid," Dunphy said. "We intend to communicate on the defensive end and look to help one another if someone gets into a rhythm that's making them very difficult to defend." Compared to the complicated Penn game plan, Dunphy's instructions to his team sound simple. "Here's your job," he said. "Step up and shoot a shot. If it goes in, wonderful. If not, get back on defense and get the ball back." And for Brown, Ryan and Laster, the key Quaker reserves, obeying Dunphy's instructions may be the difference between playing time and more time on the bench.